South Western moving more than 120 students as part of redistricting

More than 120 elementary school students from the South Western School District will be moved to a new school for the start of the 2015-16 school year.

For the third time in the past 15 years, the district is redistricting to make the enrollment at West Manheim Elementary School, Park Hills Elementary School and Baresville Elementary School as equal as possible, said Barbara Rupp, the district's superintendent.

Manheim Elementary School's enrollment is not affected by the redistricting.

"West Manheim currently has 608 students, so to decrease the number, a total of 66 students will be transferred to either Baresville or Park Hills," Rupp said. "Park Hills has an enrollment of 573 students. To make room for the students from West Manheim, 57 students will be transferred to Baresville."

South Western was most recently redistricted before the start of the 2010-11 school year due to having too many students at West Manheim. South Western also redistricted prior to the 2006-07 school year when West Manheim Elementary School was built, said Duane Bull, secretary to the superintendent for the district.

Parents who can provide the district with medical documentation of a mental or emotional risk for their child transferring, will be allowed to stay at their current school, Rupp said.

"We have to do this every so often for the best interest of the district," Rupp said. "Our elementary school principals meet monthly to make sure all of our schools have the same environment."

Rupp said she expects parents to not be thrilled with the decision at first, but hopes that the community will trust the district with making sure the transition is as smooth as possible. Rupp added that the past two times South Western has redistricted, parents have thanked her staff for having this end up as a positive experience.

"That's our job. We are educators and have experience dealing with situations that are a little tougher for our kids," Rupp said. "We will have the staff at the schools keep an extra eye on any of the students that change schools to make sure their transition is successful."

One of the parents who has a child affected by the redistricting is Lindsay Cundiff, who has daughters entering fifth and first grade next year in the district.

"We didn't know that it was a possibility until it was announced that it was happening," Cundiff said. "I understand the change for my younger daughter. But for my oldest, she's been at West Manheim for five years. It's wrong to move her just for her last year with no real option to keep her where she is."

Families who are affected by the redistricting are encouraged to set up meetings with their new principal to help with the transition process, Rupp said.

"We want to ease any anxiety students or parents might have," Rupp said. "We want to hear from parents and accommodate their concerns as best we can."